Mail-box.



F. H. SIEH 6v P. J. LOWE. i

MAIL BOX.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 24, 1009.

Patented 001;. 5, 1909.

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FRANK Il.y SIEII AND FREDERICK J. LOWE, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

MAIL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Got. 5, 1909.

To all whom it may concern.'

lle it known that Ve, Finir n Il. Sini-r and linannnicx a. Lovin, citizens of the United Vitatcs, residing at lilinneapolis, in the county -use upon the doorsl of residences, oflices, etc.,

and its object is to provide means whereby a. signal will be sounded whenever the closure oi the inail-receiving slot in the box is opened, or whenever the paper-holding clip upon the bottom of the box is depressed.

Another object is to provide novel means for closing an electric circuit when the paperliolding clip is depressed, said means being disposed to be shifted out ot engagement with its contact after a paper has been placed in position above the clip.

lilith these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details ot' construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings :-Figure 1 is a central vertical section through a` mail box embodying the present iniprovements, the various parts thereof being shown in their normal positions. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the circuit-closer used in connection with the paper clip. F ig. is a perspective view of the circuit closer used in connection with the closure Hap of the slot in the box, the parts being shown in their normal positions.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a inail-box having the usual opening 2 for the reception oi letters and the like, this opening being provided with a closure 3, in the form or' a springcontrolled flap which is held normally in closed position by the springs which have been indicated at il. A strip of insulatingl material is secured upon the wall of the box at a point above the opening 2, and mounted on this strip is av spring strip 6, constituting a contact, said strip being electrically connected to the box 1 by means of a screw 7, which serves to hold the strip 5 and the spring contact G in position. A non-flexible angular Contact 8 is mounted on the strip 5 and laps the spring contact G, the said spring contact being held normally pressed toward the strip 5 by means of an arm 9, which extends froin and is movable with the closure 3. signal device, preferably in the form of an electric bell 10, may be located at any suitable point and electrically connected with a battery 11, one pole of which is electrically connected with the box 1, and contact (3, while the other contact 8 is electrically connected with the battery by means of an insulated wire 12.

ein opening 13 is formed in the bottom ot the box 1 near the lront thereof, and a spring clip l-l is secured to the box and extends unde' and beyond the front of the same, this clip being of the type ordinarily utilized for the purpose of holding magazines, newspapers and the like upon the bottom of the box. rod 15 is arranged adjacent the opening 13, and pivotally mounted thereon is a segmental block 16 which is held normally in contact with the clip 14 by means of a light coiled spring 17. A lug 18 extends laterally from this block and overhangs a contact 19, which is secured upon an insulating strip 2O on the bottom of the box. This contact 19 is connected to the wire 12 by means oi' a branch wire 21, or in any other suitable manner. It is of course to be understood that the lug` 18 is normally spaced from the contact 19.

It is thought that the operation of the device will be fully understood from the foregoing description when read in connection with Ythe accompanying` drawings. Vhen the closure 2 is elevated the arm 9 moves away from the spring contact 6, and said contact therefore moves against the bracket S and thus completes the circuit from the battery 11 to the alarm 10. This alarm will continue to be sounded as long as the closure 3 is elevated. However, when the closure is released and the springs 4- return it to its sluit position, the arm 9 will again move against the contact 6 and force it away from the bracket 8, thus breaking the circuit. llilhen a paper is to be placed above the clip 1a the same is inserted under the front end of the box, and this will cause said clip to move downward a short distance, this movement being suiiicient to allow the block 16 to also swing downwardly and to bring its lug 18 upon the contact 19. A circuit will thus be established from the battery to the alarm, and this circuit will be maintained until the inserted paper is brought into con- (I cda' tact with the block 16. Said block will then be elevated so as to move the lug away from the Contact 19.

lt is ot course to be understood that various changee may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parte without departing trom the spirit or sacl'iticing the advantages oi the invention.

`\V hat is claimed is:-

l. A mail-box includingl a clip coperatingg with one face ol the box, aspring-controlled block normally bearingl upon the clip and in the path of an object inserted between the clip and box7 a Contact outatanding from the block, a second contact in the path thereot' but normally spaced theret'rom, an electric alarm, and electrical connections between Said alarm and the reepective contacts.

The combination with a mail-box, of a clip cooperating with one face of the box to retain objects there-between, a Spring"- controlled block movably mounted within said face and normally bearing upon the clip, normally Spaced insulated contacte carried by the box and block respectively,` and an electric alarm System connected to the re- Spective contacts, Said movable contact being `Shit'table automatically against the other contact when the clip is moved avay 'trom the box.

3. The combination with a mail-box and a clip connected thereto and cooperating` with one tace thereof to retain an objecty upon Said tace, of a block mo vably mounted upon the box and projecting into the path ot' the inserted object, a lug outstandingfrom the block, a Contact upon the box butinsulated therefrom, and a spring for automat'ically Shifting the block to move the luxev upon the contact when the clip iS depressed, said block being` shittable to break the contact by an object inserted between the clip and box, and an electric alarm System in circuit with Said box and contact- In testimony that we claim the 'foregoing` as om.` own, we have hereto atlixed our signatures in the prefsence ot' two witnesses,

FRANK H. SUCH. VFREDERICK J. LOVE. VitneSSes Tunas ENDSLEY, Cani-i F. FnrrnN. 

